Rs boss was not happy with performance from troops in defeat at home to Nottingham Forest last weekend

Queens Park Rangers manager Ian Holloway has demanded an improved display from his side when they visit Aston Villa in the Championship on Saturday.

The Rs suffered a 5-2 loss at home to Nottingham Forest last weekend — their heaviest home league defeat of the season.

Despite second half goals from Massimo Luongo and Matt Smith, the Loftus Road outfit slipped to a third loss in their last four matches.

Holloway left no one uncertain about how he felt regarding his team’s display against Forest with his post-match comments.

And with a tough trip to Villa Park to come this weekend, the 54-year-old wants to see his team do a lot better in the midlands, if only to shore up their place in the division next term.

“We had a situation like this last year where we got some points, and then ended up looking over our shoulder,” Holloway told the club website.

“We weren’t where we wanted to be and it was horrendous; ironically, it was against Forest that we managed to get ourselves out of it.

“It’s about about going back to doing your jobs, getting your jobs right, being hard to score against and being hard to beat.

“We’ve looked like that at times, but I feel the lack of finishing our opportunities off has made the defenders a bit nervous.

“We’ve had a lot of injuries, but they are nearly all back now, so where do we go next?

“Our midfield is very effective at closing and pressing, but I didn’t see that on Saturday.

“The mistakes that crept in after that were almost unrecognisable. Josh Scowen hit some passes that are so unlike him. It’s inexplicable (from the team), but they didn’t mean to do it.

“We have to get back to trying to keep a clean sheet, trying to work hard and press, putting their midfield under pressure.”

It will be tough for QPR to hit back with all three points at a Villa side among the promotion candidates this term, but Holloway remains bullish about his team’s chances of success against Steve Bruce’s outfit this weekend.

Holloway added: “Aston Villa play a different way to Forest and it’s on their pitch, so there will be loads of running and loads spaces which we have to fill to beat them.

“I believe we can beat them, but not if we play like we did on Saturday.”